Road machine



- April 8, 1941. w. A. cos'r EI'AL ROAD MACHINE Filed May 24, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet l April 1941- w. A. cosT arm. 2

ROAD MACHINE April 8, 1941. w 105T r 2.237.586

ROAD MACHINE Filed May 24, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Lk Iii Patented Apr. 8,1941 ROAD MACHINE William A. 00st, Indianapolis, and Edgar- R.

McDonough, La Porte, Ind., assignors t0 Allis- Chalmers ManufacturingCompany, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application May 24,1940, Serial No. 336,942

13 Ciaims.

section of suitable construction for connection 7 with a wheeled rearsupport, and at its front end the reach member is sustained in elevatedposition on a Wheeled front support. The drawbar which carries thecircle frame or other support for the grader blade is mounted on thevehicle frame for vertical adjustment, and preferably also for lateraladjustment, about a connection between its forward end and a forwardportion of the vehicle frame, and suitable mechanism is mounted on thevehicle frame intermediate the wheeled front. and rear supports forraising and lowering the rear end of the drawbar, and for side shiftingit if desired.

When the vertical adjusting mechanism for the drawbar is operated toforce the grader blade down into the ground, such operation develops anupward thrust upon the portion of the frame to which the verticaladjusting mechanism is secured, and said upward, thrust is counteractedby the downwardly directed load components of the grader in advance andin rear of the blade.

In operation, when the grader advances with the blade adjusted to acutting position, the upwardly directed thrust forces which areconcentrated at the portion of the frame to which the verticaladjusting. mechanism is secured, and the downwardly directed loadcomponents in advance and in rear of the blade co-operate to subject theframe to severe bending stresses. Moreover, if the grader is of the typein which draft is applied to the frame in a plane above the ground, theframe is also subjected to a force couple which tends to force the frontend of the grader down and to lift its rear end, according to wellestablished principles.

It is an objectof the invention to improve the construction of a pipe orbox frame grader so as to minimize the danger of breakage of the frameunder the mentioned bending stresses, particularly under the bendingstresses resulting from an upthrust upon the portion of the frame towhich the vertical adjusting mechanism for the blade is secured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe or box frame graderin which the frame is reinforced at the portion thereof to which saidvertical adjusting mechanism is secured, the reinforcement being such asto strengthen the frame against breakage under the mentioned bendingstresses at saidportion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pipe or box framegrader in which the frame section for sustaining the reach member on awheeled support is constructed in an improved manner and so connectedwith the reach member that said bending stresses are prevented fromharmfully concentrating at the connection between said frame section.and the reachmember.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a channel ironwith a tapered end of such formation that a cylindrical reach member,such as a round pipe, may be placed into the trough between theflangesof the channel iron, with the axis of the reach member extendinglongitudinally of the channel iron, and so that saidchannel iron maythereafter be bonded to the reach member, as by welding, along therelatively converging edges of said tapered end, and preferablyalsoalong free edge portions of the parallel flanges of thechannel-iron. In this connection, the invention further contemplates toprovide the mentioned tapered end with a slot extending longitudinallyof the channel iron centrally between the planes of its parallelflanges, and to bond the channel iron to the reach member not only alongthe mentioned edge portions but also along the edges of said slot.

A still further object of the invention is to provide asimple andcompact vehicle frame which is amply strong to withstand the stresses towhichit is subjected in operation, and which may be manufactured atrelatively low costs.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention. Referring to the drawings accompanying and forming part. ofthis specification and in which like reference characters designate thesame or similar parts in the several views:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a partly assembled grader, disclosinggenerally the construction of the frame and the relative disposition ofparts associated therewith including the front and rear wheeled supportsand the blade supporting drawbar;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the rear portion of the grader frame shown in,Fig. 1 and parts associated therewith;

Fig. 3 is a side view, partly in section, of the of the grader frame.

rear portion of the frame and associated parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the rear portion of the frame and associatedparts shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of the connection between the right rearchannel and the pipe reach of the grader frame shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 5also showing in dash-dotted lines the forward end of the channelprepared for bending it into tapered shape;

Fig. 6 is a top view of the parts shown in Fig.5;

Fig. 7 is a section on line VII-VII of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a bottom View of the connection between the pipe reach and therear frame section; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section on line IXIX of Fig. 8.

Front wheels I and 2 of the grader shown in Fig. 1 are mounted onopposite ends of a front axle 3, and a draft pole 4 extending forwardlyfrom the front axle is mounted thereon for horizontal movement about apivot pin 5 centrally between the ends of the axle 3. A frame head 6,preferably in the form of a hollow casting, ex-

tends upwardly from the front axle 3 and has a rearwardly curved portionwhich terminates in a rearwardly and slightly upwardly directed socket,tongues 'I being equally distributed around the periphery of the socketand forming a circumferentially scalloped rear edge of the frame head 6.The front axle 3 is secured intermediate its ends to the frame head 6for universal swinging movement relative thereto by means of a universaljoint connection at the lower end 8 of the frame head 6. For a fullerdisclosure of the wheeled front support comprising the front wheels Iand 2 and the axle 3, and of its universal connection with the framehead 6, reference is here made to U. S. Patent 2,162,360, June 13, 1939,G. D. Shaeifer, Road grader.

A pipe 9 of circular cross section is fitted at its forward end into thesocket portion of the frame head 6 and is retained therein by means of awelded seam along the scalloped rear edge of the frame head 6. The pipe9 is straight from end to end and forms a hollow reach member The pipereach 9 is rigidly connected at its rear with a fabricated frame sectionwhich is constructed as follows:

Channel irons II and I2 are located, respectively, at opposite sides ofa plane indicated by the dash-dotted line AA in Fig. 2 and which extendscentrally through the pipe reach 9 in the direction of its axis. at theright side of the graderwith reference to an operator looking forwardlyfrom the rear of the grader-extends, in a rearward direction, axially ofthe pipe reach along a rearward portion of the latter and thenrearwardly beyond the pipe reach in a direction away from the plane AA,the channel iron II being bent at I3 in a horizontal direction at therear end of the pipe reach 9. In addition to the horizontal bend at I3which directs the portion of the channel iron in rear of the pipe reach9 away from the plane AA, the channel iron II has a vertically curvedportion immediately in rear of the pipe reach 9, as best shown in Fig.3, and due to said vertical curvature the portions of the channel ironin rear of the pipe reach 9 aredirected away from the plane which isindicated by the dash-dotted line B-B in Fig. 3, and which plane extendscentrally through the pipe reach in the-direction of its axis at rightThe channel iron II angles to the plane AA. The rear portion of thechannel iron in rear of the vertical curvature extends at an angle ofslightly more than 45 in a downward and rearward direction away from theplane B-B, and another horizontal bend of the channel iron II at I4places said last mentioned rearward portion of the channel iron II intoparallelism with the plane AA, as shown in Fig. 2.

The channel iron II has a vertical web I5 and upper and lower flangesextending inwardly from the web I5 towards the plane AA, and thereference character I6 in Fig. 6 designates the inner freeedge of theupper flange at the portion of the channel iron which extends in arearward direction away from the plane AA. The dash-dotted line C-C inFig. 5 indicates a plane which intersects the axis of the pipe reach 9at right angles, and it will be noted that a portion I1 of the upperflange extends parallel to the plane B-B in rear of the plane CC and hasa straight edge I8 which meets the edge I6 at I9, as shown in Fig. 6.The lower flange ofthe channel iron has a portion 20 corresponding tothe portion II of the upper flange, which extends parallel to the planeBB and has a straight edge (Fig. 8) which meets the free inner edge ofthe lower oblique flange portion in rear of the pipe reach at a pointbelow the point I9. The distance between the edge I6 and the outer sideof the web I5 represents the full width of the flanges of the channeliron, and the width of the flange portions I! and 20 is shortened bycutting these flange portions to the width which is indicated by thedistance between the straight edge I8 and the outer side of the Web I5at the portion thereof which extends parallel to the pipe reach 9.

The portion of the channel iron I I forwardly of the plane CC is formedby certain cutting and bending operations into a tapered shape whichgradually reduces the cross section of the channel iron along the pipereach 9, and adapts itself to the cylindrical surface of the latter. Thecorners 2| of the originally square end of the channel iron II arerounded as indicated in the dash-dotted outline of the channel ironshown in Fig. 5. A comparatively wide and deep V-slot 22 is cut out ofthe web I5,.and upper and lower flange portions 23 and 24 in advance ofthe plane CC are recessed, to form forwardly and outwardly curved edgesthereon, as indicated at 25 in Fig. 6 for the flange portion 23, and asindicated at 8| in Fig. 8 for the flange portion 24. A short laterallydirected straight edge portion 26 (Fig. 6) connects the curved edgeportion 25 with the straight edge portion I8 of the upper flange, and asimilar short straight edge portion 82 (Fig. 8) corresponding to theedge portion 26, is formed at the lower flange. After heating theforward end of the channel iron II the two wings formed by the describedcutting operations are bent from the dash-dotted position into the fullline position shown in Fig. 5, in which position they are separated fromeach other by a long and narrow slot 21 which bisects the angle betweenthe forwardly converging flange portions 23 and 24.

Referring to Fig. 7 it will be noted that the outside diameter of thepipe 9 is somewhat greater than the full vertical height of the channeliron in rear of the plane C-C, and that the flange portions I1 and 20are cut down to such a width that in the assembled positionof is alsobonded, as by welding,

It and 8B of the flange portions H and 20, re-

spectively, extend axially of the pipe 9 in close proximity to thesurface of the latter, while an axial surface portion of the pipe in themiddle between the flange portions l1 and extends in close proximity ofthe inner side of the web 15.

The edges and BI of the forwardly converging substantially with thecylindrical curvature of the pipe and extend in relatively closeproximity to the surface of the pipe. The described bending of the wingsof the channel iron H causes a distortion of the flange portions aboveand below the rear end of the slot 21 in that the free edges of saidflange portions are slightly pulled towards the center of the bendingmovement. so cut that the pipe 9 will fit between the distorted flangeportions above and below the rear end of the slot 21 while the straightedges is and B0, and the curved edges 25 and 3t, extend in relativelyclose proximity to the surface of the pipe.

The parallel flange portions I? and it in rear of the plane C-C arebonded, as by welding, along their straight edges l8 and Elirespectively, to circumferential axial surface portions of the pipe 9equidistant from the plane BB, the upper and lower flange portions infront of the plane C-C are bonded, as by welding, to the surface of thepipe 9 along the straight edge portions 26 and 82 and along the curvededges 25 and 8f, the edges 26 and forming a continuation of the straightedge l8, and the edges 82 and 8! forming a continuation of the straightedge 8b. The channel iron ii to the surface of the pipe 9 along theedges of the slot 27. As shown in Fig. 5, a short slotted opening 28 isformed in the web l5 centrally between the parallel flange portions l!and it in rear of the plane C--C for holding channel It in properposition in a bulldozer die with which the forward ends of the channelare bent together to form the slot 27., and a further bonded connection,as by welding, is preferably formed between the web it and the surfaceof the pipe 9 atthe slotted opening 28.

The foregoing description of the shape of the channel iron I i and ofits connection with the pipe reach 9 also applies, in all materialaspects, to the channel iron if at the left side of the plane A-A, theonly difference being a reversal of the shape of the channel iron l2with reference to the channel iron H, as will be readily apparent fromFigs. 2 and i. In analogy to the channel iron II, the channel iron i2has twohorizontal bends l3 and It and a vertical curvature between thetwo horizontal bends. The forward part of the channel iron 52 which isconnected with the pipe reach 9 comprises an upper flange portion H witha straight edge It, a lower flange portion 20 with a straight edge 80,an upper downwardly inclined flange portion 23' with edge portions 25'and 25, a lower upwardly inclined flange portion 2 3' with edge portionsBI and 82, and a slot 27' (Fig. 7), The two channel irons II and i2 forma pair of side members of the grader frame, which extend in a rearwarddirection axially of the pipe reach 9 at opposite sides, respectively,of the plane A-A,

and then rearwardly beyond the pipe reach in The straight edge portions25 and 82 are ill opposite directions away from the plane A-A and insubstantially the same direction away from the plane BB. Each of saidside members has two relatively symmetrical forward portions, one ateach side of the plane BB, and each of said symmetrical forward portionsof each of said side members has a longitudinal edge portion spaced fromthe plane B-B and bonded to a rearward circumferential surface portionof the pipe reach, and another edge portion sloping forwardly from thelongitudinal edge portion towards the plane BB and also bonded to acircumferential surface portion of the pipe reach 9.

Referring to Fig. 2, the reference numeral 29 designates a plate whichis preferably made in two halves, one at each side of the plane AA, thetwo halves having relatively adjacent edges which are secured togetherby a Welded seam 30. The forward portion of the plate 29 is placed ontop of the rear portion of the pipe reach 9, and rearwardly divergingside edges 3| and if of the plate 29 extend away from the plane A-A insubstantially the same directions, respectively, as the rearwardlydiverging portions of the channel irons If and if. A forwardly recessedrear edge 33 extends between the side edges 3| and 32, and roundedcorners iii are formed by arcuate edge portions connecting the sideedges 3! and 32, respectively, with the forwardly recessed rear edge Asshown in Fig. 3, the plate 29 is curved vertically in substantialconformity with the vertical curvature of the channel irons I l and ifin rear of the pipe reach, and as may be seen from Fig. 4, the twohalves of the plate 29 are slightly angled relative to each other inlaterally and downwardly inclined directions.

Due to the described formation of the plate 29, the rearwardly divergingedges 3! and 32 may contact the upper flanges of the channel irons fland It in rear of the pipe reach 9 and the forward portion of the plate29 may rest on the pipe reach 9 between the parallel edge portions itand iii of the channel irons which are secured to the pipe reach 9. Theplate '29 is secured to the top of the pipe reach 9 by a welded seam atits forward edge, and the sides of the plate 1.9 are secured to theupper flanges of the channel irons H and I2 by welded seams along theedges .39 and 32, The welded seams along the edges 3i and 32 arepreferably continued forwardly up to the contact of the plate 29 withthe pipe reach 9, and also rearwardly around the rounded rear corners itof the plate 29 to the inner edges of the upper flanges of the channelirons.

Another plate is secured to the rear of the pipe reach 9 and to therearwardly diverging portions of the channel irons H and H2 at thebottom side of the grader frame, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8. The pipereach 9 has a rectangular notch 84 (Fig. 6) cut out of its wall betweenthe parallel bottom flanges 2d and ft of the channel irons, the notchextending forwardly from the rear edge of the pipe reach and beingsomewhat narrower than the spacing between the adjacent edges 89 and M!of the flanges 21] and 29'. The forward portion of the plate 34 overlapsthe rear end of the pipe 9 and extends partly over the rear end of thenotch 84, the remaining portion of the notch in front of the plate 34being closed by a cover 35' which is placed over the notch 84 within thepipe and is secured to the pipe by a welded seam along the front andside edges of the notch at A tubular control shaft hearing it extends ina forwardly and downwardly inclined direction through the forwardportion of the plate 34 and past the rear edge of the cover 34, thebearing being adapted to support a control shaft for a circle turn mechanism, not shown, and being suitably retained in place, as by welding tothe plate 34 and to the cover 34. The slot 84 and cover 34' within thepipe 9 afford clearance for a universal joint which may be secured tothe control shaft sup ported by bearing 15, immediately in front of saidbearing. Rearwardly diverging side edges 16 and 11 of the bottom plate34 extend along the bot tom flanges of the channel irons II and I2, theplate 34 being vertically curved, as shown in Fig. 3, to conform withthe vertical curvature of the channel irons II and I2. A forwardlyrecessed rear edge extends between the side edges 16 and I1, andconnects with the side edges through curved edge portions 83 at therounded rear corners of the plate 34. The forward end of the plate 34 issecured to the bottom of the pipe reach 9 by a welded connection in thespace between the bottom flanges 20 and 29 of the channel irons, saidwelded connection being diametrically opposed to the welded connectionbetween the top plate 29 and the pipe reach, and extending along theforward edge of the plate 34 so as to connect the latter to the exposedportions of the pipe wall and to the cover 34'. The plate 34, like theplate 29, is connected to the channel irons II and I2 by welded seamsalong its edges 16 and 11, these seams being preferably continuedforwardly up to the contact of the plate 34 with the bottom of the pipe9, and rearwardly around the rounded corners 83 of the plate 43 to theinner edges of the lower flanges of the channel irons.

A pipe brace 36 extends between the rearwardly diverging portions of thechannel irons I I and I2 in proximity to the rear ends of the plates 29and 34, the pipe brace 36 being welded at its opposite ends to the innersides of the webs of the channel irons I I and I2. Another pipe brace 31is welded to the webs of the channel irons I I and I2 at the portions ofthe latter which extend parallel to the plane AA, in rear of the pipereach 9. Secured to the extreme rear ends of the channel irons I I andI2, preferably by welding, is a vertical plate 38 which affords amounting base for a wheeled rear support comprising a transverse rearaxle 39 and a pair of rear wheels 40 and 4|.

member 43, suitable mechanism 44 being provided for side shifting theaxle 39 in the brackets v 42 and 42' relative to the plate member 43.The

plate 43 is pivotally connected to the plate 38 by a pair of concentricrings 45 and 46 which are respectively secured to the plates 38 and 43and rotatable relative to each other about the horizontal axis of a boltat the center of the rings 45 and 46 to permit transverse tilting of therear axle 39 relative to the grader frame. In order to retain the axle39 in any transversely tilted position relative to the main frame, acrank 41 is mounted on the grader frame for rotation about a horizontalaxis extending longitudinally of the grader, and a link 48 connects thecrank 41 with the plate 43, the link 48 being pivoted at 85 on the plate43 in transversely offset relation to the common center of the rings 45and 46. The

crank 41 is journaled in a bearing 49 secured to the pipe brace 31, andin a bearing 50 secured to The rear wheels 49 and 4| are leanably rmounted on opposite ends of the axle 39, suitable the rear plate 38 asshown in Fig. 3. A housing 5| enclosing a suitable mechanism forrotating the crank 41 and for retaining it in any rotated position ismounted on the shaft of the crank 41 between the bearings 49 and 50, thehousing 5| being retained in a rotatively fixed position on the shaft ofthe crank by means of a vertical strap 52 shown in Fig. 4 which issecured at its upper end to the housing 5| and at its lower end to thechannel I2. The mechanism within the housing 5| for rotating the crank41 is preferably operated by power from a gear box 53, suitableshafting, not shown, being provided to transmit power from the gear box53 to the mechanism within the housing 5|. The gear box 53 is mounted ona pair of standards 54 which are secured to the rear plate 38, and asuitable source of power, not shown, is provided to furnish drivingpower for the gear box. The pipe brace 31 furnishes a suitable mountingbase for the mentioned source of power, such as an internal combustionengine which may be secured to brackets 14 on the pipe brace 31laterally of the bearing 49.

The drawbar of the grader comprises a T-shaped frame structure 56 whichis universally connected at its forward end with the frame head 6 bymeans of a ball and socket connection 51 at the rear of the downwardlyextending portion of the frame head 6. A circle frame 58 is suitablymounted on the T-shaped drawbar 56 in a conventional manner, and agrader blade 59 is mounted on the circle frame for adjustment relativeto the drawbar about the center of the circle frame, the details of theblade mounting being likewise of conventional construction and thereforenot shown in the drawings. A pair of lifting links 69 and 6| areuniversally connected to the rear cross member of the drawbar 56, thelower end of the link 69 being universally connected at 62 to the rightend of the cross member, and the lower end of the link 6| beinguniversally connected at 63 to the left end of the cross member. Thelifting links 60 and GI are suspended from the main frame of the graderin the following manner:

As best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, a pair of lift supports 65 and 66extend laterally from the right side of the grader at the connection ofthe pipe reach 9 with the channel iron I I, and a similar pair of liftsupports 65 and 66' extend laterally from the left side of the grader atthe connection of the pipe reach 9 with the channel iron I2. The liftsupports 65 and 66 are preferably made in the form of separate castings,each having a flat base abutting the outer side of the web I5 of thechannel iron II, and both being secured to the channel iron II by weldedseams along the edges of their bases. The forward lift support 65 isspaced from the rearward lift sup port 66 by a top plate 61 whichbridges the gap between the two supports and extends beyond their basesover the top flange portion I1 of the channel iron II. The top plate 61is secured to the lift supports 65 and 66 and to the flange portion I1by welded seams along the side edges of the plate and along the edgesoverlying the flange portion I1. A plate 81, similar to the plate 61, issecured to the bottom edges of the lift supports and to the bottomflange portion 20 of the channel iron I I The lift supports 65 and 66'at the left side of the grader are constructed and secured to thechannel iron I2 in the same manner as has just been described inconnection with the lift supports 65 and 66 and with reference to thechannel-iron ll. That is, a top plate 61' and abottom-plate 81,corresponding to the top and bottom plates 61 and 81, are secured tothelift supports 65 and 66' and to the top and bottom flange portions l1and 2B of the channel iron I2.

Secured to the outer end of each lift support 65 and 66 is a cap 68which cooperates with a semicircular recess of its associated liftsupport to form a spherical bearing seat 18. Similar caps 68 are securedto the outer ends of the lift supports 65 and 66 to form a pair ofspherical bearing seats 18' (Fig. 4).

A lift arm 64, shown in Fig. l, is secured to a shaft which isjournal'ed in two bearings respectively retained in the sphericalbearing seats I8 of the lift supports 65" and 66'. Also mounted on thementioned bearings'is a housing 69 which encloses suitable worm and gearmechanism for rotating the shaft of the liftarm 64 within its bearings.gear mechanism within the housing 59 is connected with a suitabledriving mechanisminclud- .ing a shaft Ill for rotating the lift arm 64by power from the gear box 53.

A lift arm corresponding to the lift arm 64, and a housing enclosingworm andgear mechanism corresponding to the housing 69, are mounted onthe lift supports 65 and 66 at the right side of the grader in exactlythesame manner as has just'been described in connection with the lift bsupports 65' and 66 at the left side of the grader. That is, suitablebearings for the shaft of the" lift arm and for the worm'and gearhousing at the right side of the grader are mounted in the sphericalbearing seats 18 of the lift supports 65 and 68, and the worm and gearmech anism for rotating the lift arm attheright side of the grader issuitably connected with the gear box". 5350 thatthe lift arms atopposite sides of the grader may be rotated by power, either jointly'orseparately, or in thesame or in opposite directions; as is well known inthe art. In the completely assembled graderthe lift arm and associatedmechanism shown in Fig. 1 at the left side of the grader is duplicatedat the right side of the grader, as will be understood by those skilledin the art, the right lift arm and associated-mechanism having beenomitted in Fig. 1 for purposes of disclosure. The left link 6! isuniversally connected at its upper end to the lift arm 64 at the leftside of the grader, and it will be understood that thelift link 60 issimilarly connected to the. lift arm at the right side of the grader.

Suitable'mechanism for side shifting the drawbar of the grader may beconnected .to a lug H which is secured to the cross member of thedlawbar 56 at the end thereof at which the lift link 60 is connected.The side shift mechanism isnot shown in the drawingsand maybeconstructed in any suitable manner. Preferably a crank shaft is mountedin brackets 12 and 13 indicated in Fig. 3 and connected by a suitablelink with the lug 1|, the bracket 12 being secured to'the bottom plate34 and the bracket '13 being secured to the pipe brace 36'.

Itwill be noted that the forward. portion of the fabricated rearsectionof the frame and a rearward portion of the pipe reach overlapeach other and are rigidly secured together to form a The worm elementof the worm and reinforced connection which comprises three zones,namely, a central zone of greatest strength to which-the lift supports65, BB andfiii, lit are secured, and two adjacent zones of gradually decreasing strength, one in front and the other in rear of the centralzone. The gradual decrease of the strength of the reinforcement in theforward zone is effected by the taper of the forward ends of the channelirons II and I2, and the gradual decrease of the strength of thereinforcement in the rearward zone is effected by the forward recessesat the rear of the plates 29 and Min combination with the rearward anddownward divergence of the channels H and 12 in the rearward zone. Inoperation of the grader more or less pressure is applied to the blade bydownward thrust upon the links GI] and BI, and the resulting reaction istaken up on the portion of the frame to which the lift supports 65, 66and 65, 6B are secured, andwhich portion of the frame, as stated, is theone which is most strongly reinforced. Vertical bending stresses towhich the frame issubject due to said reaction are prevented fromharmfully concentrating at the connection between the rear frame sectionand the pipe reach by the gradual decrease of the strength of thereinforcement in the mentioned zones forwardly and rearwardly of thecentral zone at which the lift supports are secured to the frame.

While in the foregoing a preferred embodiment of the invention has beendisclosed, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit theinvention to the exact details of construction herein shown anddescribed, for various modifications within the scope of the appendedclaims may occur to persons skilledin the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a road machine, a wheeled rear support; a frame sectionsupportingly connected with said rear support; a tubular reach memberextending forwardly from said frame section; said reach member having arearward portion and said frame section having a forward portionoverlapping each other and rigidly secured together to form a reinforcedconnection between said frame section and reach member; a wheeled frontsupport connected with said reach member forwardly of saidreinforcedconnection; a surface working tool; and supporting means forsaid tool including a bracket structure secured to said reinforcedconnection between said frame section and said reach member.

2. In a road machine, a wheeled rear support; a frame sectionsupportingly connected with said rear support and havinga pair offorwardly extending relatively opposed side members; a

tubular reach member extending forwardly from said frame section andhaving a rear portion thereof arranged between said side members andrigidly secured thereto to form a reinforced connection between saidreach member and said frame section; each of said side members having aforwardly tapering end portion of gradually diminishing height'securedto said'reach member; a wheeled front support connected with said reachmember forwardly of said reinforced connection; a surface working tool;and supporting means for said surface working tool including a bracketstructure secured to said reinforced connection at a portion thereofrearwardly of said tapering end portions of said side members.

3. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member and a pair of side membersextending, in rearward directions, along and beyond rearward portions ofsaid reach member at opposite sides,

respectively, of an axial central plane through said reach member, eachof said side members having a forward portion tapering transversely of aplane extending through the axis of said reach member at right angles tosaid first mentioned plane, and both of said side members being rigidlysecured, along said tapering portions thereof, to said rearward portionsof said reach member.

4. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member and a pair of side membersextending, in a rearward direction, axially of said reach member alongrearward portions of said reach member at opposite sides, respectively,of an axial central plane through said reach member, and then rearwardlybeyond said reach member in opposite directions away from said plane;each of said side members having a forward portion tapering transverselyof a plane extending through the axis of said reach member at rightangles to said first mentioned plane, and both of said side membersbeing rigidly secured, along said tapering portions thereof, to saidrearward portions of said reach member.

5. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member and a pair of side membersextending, in a rearward direction, axially of said reach member alongrearward portions of said reach member at opposite sides, respectively,of an axial central plane through said reach member, and then rearwardlybeyond said reach member in opposite directions away from said planeand, in substantially the same directions away from a plane extendingthrough the axis of said reach member at right angles to said firstmentioned plane;

each of said side members having a forward portion tapering transverselyof said second mentioned plane and both of said side members beingrigidly secured, along said tapering portions thereof, to said rearwardportions of said reach member,

6. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member and a pair of side membersextending, in a rearward direction, along and beyond rearward portionsof said reach member at opposite sides, respectively, of an axialcentral plane through said reach member; each of said side membershaving two relatively symmetrical forward portions, one at each side ofa plane extending through the axis of said reach member at right anglesto said first mentioned plane, and each of said symmetrical portions ofeach of said side members having a longitudinal edge portion spaced fromsaid second plane and bonded to a rearward circumferential surfaceportion of said reach member, and another edge portion sloping forwardlyfrom said longitudinal edge portion towards said second plane and alsobonded to a circumferential surface portion of said reach member.

7. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member, a pair of side membersextending, in a rearward direction, along rearward circumferentialsurface portions of said reach member at opposite sides, respectively,of an axial central plane through said reach member, and then rearwardlybeyond said reach member in opposite directions away from said plane;said side members being rigidly secured to said reach member along saidrearward circumferential surface portions of the latter; and a platemember secured to said reach member between said side members and toportions of said side members rearwardly of said reach member.

8. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member,

a pair of side members extending, in a rearward direction, axially ofsaid reach member at opposite sides, respectively, of an axial centralplane through said reach member, and then rearwardly beyond said reachmember in opposite directions away from said plane; each of said sidemembers having longitudinal edge portions at opposite,

sides, respectively, of a plane extending through the axis of said reachmember at right angles to said first mentioned plane, and being bondedalong said longitudinal edge portions to rearward circumferentialsurface portions of said reach member, and each of said side membersalso having relatively inclined edge portions, at opposite sides,respectively, of said second plane,

sloping forwardly from said longitudinal edge away from said plane; eachof said side members having longitudinal edge portions at oppositesides, respectively, of a plane extending through the axis of said reachmember at right angles to said first mentioned plane, and being bondedalong said longitudinal edge portions to' rearward circumferentialsurface portions of said reach member, and each of said side membersalso having relatively inclined edge portions, at opposite sides,respectively, of said second plane, sloping forwardly from saidlongitudinal edge portions towards said second plane and also bonded tocircumferential surface portions of said reach member; and a platemember secured to said reach member between said side members and toportions of said side members rearwardly of said reach member, saidplate member having a pair of rearwardly diverging side edges ex--tending away from said first mentioned plane in substantially the samedirections, respectively, as

said side members, and said plate member alsohaving a forwardly recessedrear edge between said rearwardly diverging side edges thereof.

10. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member, a pair of side membersextending, in a rearward direction, axially of said reach member atvopposite sides, respectively, of an axial central plane through saidreach member, and then rearwardly beyond said reach member in oppo- 1site directions away from said plane; each of said side members havinglongitudinal edge portions at opposite sides, respectively, of a planeextending through the axis of said reach member at right angles to saidfirst mentioned plane, and being bonded along said longitudinal edgeportions to rearward circumferential surface portions of said reachmember, and each of said side members also having relatively inclinededge portions, at opposite sides, respectively, of said second plane,sloping forwardly from said longitudinal edge portions towards saidsecond plane and also bonded to circumferential surface portions of saidreach member; and a pair of relatively opposed platemembers'respectively secured to diametrically opposed portions of saidreach member between said side members and to portions of said sidemember rearwardly of said reach member, each of said plate membershaving a pair of rearwardly diverging side edges extending away fromsaid first mentioned plane in substantially the same directions,respectively, as said side members, and each of said plate membershaving a forwardly recessed rear edge between said rearvvardly divergingside edges thereof.

11. In a vehicle frame, a cylindrical reach member, and a channel ironhaving relatively opposed parallel flange portions extending axially ofsaid reach member at one side of a plane intersecting the axis of saidreach member at right angles intermediate its ends, and relativelyinclined flange portions converging, at the other side of said plane,from said parallel flange portions towards a plane extending centrallybetween said parallel flange portions through the axis of said reachmember; said parallel flange portions being bonded, along straight edgesthereof remote from the web of said channel iron, to circumferentialsurface portions of said reach member at said one side of said firstmentioned plane; and said inclined flange portions being recessed toform curved continuations of said straight edges, respectively, andbeing bonded along said curved edge continuations to circumferentialsurface portions of said reach member at said other side of said firstmentioned plane.

12. In a vehicle frame, a cylindrical reach member, and a channel ironhaving relatively opposed parallel flange portions extending axially ofsaid reach member at one side of a plane intersecting the axis of saidreach member at tween said parallel flange portions through the L axisof said reach member; said parallel flange portions being bonded, alongstraight edges thereof remote from the web of said channel iron,

to circumferential surface portions of said reach member at said oneside of said first mentioned plane; and said inclined flange portionsbeing recessed to form curved continuations of said straight edges,respectively, and being bonded along said curved edge continuations tocircumferential surface portions of said reach member at said other sideof said first mentioned plane; and the web of said channel iron having,at its intersection with said second mentioned plane, a slot betweensaid converging flange portions, and being bonded to a surface portionof said reach member along the longitudinal edges of said slot.

13. In a vehicle frame, a cylindrical reach member, and a channel ironhaving relatively opposed parallel flange portions extending axially ofsaid reach member at one side of a plane intersecting the axis of saidreach memher at right angles intermediate its ends, and relativelyinclined flange portions converging, at the other side of said plane,from said parallel flange portions towards a plane extending centrallybetween said parallel flange portions through the axis of said reachmember; said parallel flange portions being bonded, along straight edgesthereof remote from the web of said channel iron, to circumferentiatsurface portions of said reach member at said one side of said firstmentioned plane; and said inclined flange portions being recessed toform curved continuations of said straight edges, respectively, andbeing bonded along said curved edge continuations to circumferentialsurface portions of said reach member at said other side of said firstmentioned plane; and the web of said channel iron having, at itsintersection with said second mentioned plane, openings at oppositesides of said first mentioned plane, and being bonded to surfaceportions of said reach member along the edges of said openings.

. WILLIAM A. COST.

EDGAR R. McDONOUGI-I.

